Infractus Somnium
by LyricalSin
Summary: It had plagued him since his childhood, that violent, relentless dream with no end.  Hints at Shiro-Ichi
1. Chapter 1

_Infractus Somnium_

_**_I do not own, nor do I profit from Bleach in any way.

*This is a one-shot for now, though I may decide to add a sequel explaining Shiro's side later. The title means broken dream(s) in Latin.

_Infractus Somnium_

Shining brightly against the dark of the night, the moon illuminated his path to nowhere in particular. Mind racing as muscles move fluidly under slick tanned skin, the orange headed male runs, sweat dripping from his spikes and rolling down his neck before reaching his simple white muscle-tank. He'd only meant it to be just a light jog at first, a simple way to clear his mind and relax his nerves. But the rhythmic motion of his breathing, the swish of his sweatpants, and the hypnotic sound of his feet hitting the paved surface of the road fail to ease his raging thoughts. Speed increasing as the haunting dream is revisited, he is soon at an all out sprint, trying to cover the vivid images with anything he could possibly think of, the only thing not on his mind is a destination.

_A woman's voice,"Run Ichigo!" The sound of gunshots and an ear-piercing scream filled the moonless night. Two bodies and blood...So much blood! A dark figure reaches out, a deceptively calm voice, "It's alright now, things will return to what they are meant to be. Come to me, Ichigo." Terrified, the boy runs, small feet thundering down the street and across the bridge that he knows leads somewhere...somewhere safe?_

And that was it. The dream never made it past that point. Who were they, these people who haunted his dreams at night? That one in particular, has been a recurring nightmare since his childhood. His parents perhaps? In the dream he is small, and that coincides with the age at which he was adopted. Around time of his first memory, he'd been diagnosed with clinical amnesia. The only thing he could remember was that he was Ichigo...Kurosaki Ichigo, and he was six years old. That was eleven years ago.

He'd always been told that his parents had died in an accident. But his curiosity on what they looked like was unrelenting. When he got older, he looked up deaths that had occurred in Karakura around the time he was found. There he came across the truth. The double homicide of Kurosaki Isshin and Masaki. Despite now having their pictures, he still cannot make them out fully in his dream though. Apparently, the man who had killed them was a previous lover of his mother, and he had also been found dead under a bridge not far from the murder site the next day.

So is he actually witnessing over and over what happened the night they were murdered? It would only seem logical that the faceless figures in his dream were his mother and father, but shouldn't he be able to put faces on them now that he has a picture to go by? And the paper never mentioned anything about the details of the murder or him being there. Unfortunately, knowing the truth about his parents did not answer any questions about the dream.

He had other dreams as well. However, the others are warm, comforting dreams where the only similarity is the woman's voice. He still could never make out her features though, same as the nightmare, where the only details he could manage were those of sounds and inanimate objects. Never faces.

A train sounds in the distance and he is brought back to the sounds of his feet on the road. The night is quiet and where ever he has ended up lacks both people and cars. Slowing to a stop at a random intersection he takes in his surroundings. Run down buildings litter the area, shadowing the hopelessly cracked sidewalks skirting the roads, and the only lights are broadly spaced, most flickering, barely hanging on to existence after having been abandoned for so long. Old downtown, or known to the newer generation as the 'hollow city,' which inconveniently happens to boarder one of Karakura's more violent ghetto's, 'Hueco Mundo'.

_'Good job Ichigo.'_

Turning around to head back, he stills as a figure in dark jeans and a black hooded sweatshirt steps under one of the few working street lamps, directly in his path and only about six feet away. The being looks to be a little taller than himself, the build hard to determine under the large sweatshirt. Eyes darting around quickly he comes to the conclusion that the person is alone but doesn't let his guard down. This close to Hueco Mundo, it'd be a miracle to come across someone who didn't know a thing or two about fighting.

"What's a little Strawberry like yerself doin' in this part'a town?"

Recognizing the echo-like voice of his white doppelganger, classmate, and above all, nemesis, the orange headed teen falls back into a fighting stance, ready to defend if necessary. "I could ask you the same thing Snowflake. It's pretty late, did you conveniently forget again that we have school tomorrow?"

The other male laughs, the eerie pitch sending chills down Ichigo's spine. He reaches up, removing the black hood to reveal silvery white locks, equally pale skin, and piercing golden eyes that could make even the bravest of men flinch.

"Why Kurosaki, I never woulda thought such a stuck up pretty boy would be worried 'bout the attendance record of a good fer nothin' delinquent. Ya miss me that much?"

Ichigo knew that the teasing was meant to rile him up, and with anyone else he would have taken the bait, but it's a dangerous game, playing into Shirosaki's hands. Not to mention that the long sprint had him pretty exhausted and he wanted try to avoiding a fight if at all possible.

"Well, class is pretty quiet without you there, teacher not yelling and all."

The white male smirks and Ichigo makes the conscious effort not to shrink back. "Now that we've established how hopelessly bored ya are without me, answer my question, what are ya doin' out here?"

"Out for a run, ended up out here. That a problem?" _'Yes, because that's how to avoid a fight, stupid.'_

Shirosaki's smirk grows impossibly larger, "Only if I gotta beat yer ass to get ya ta stay out. Then I imagine it'd be somethin' of a problem for ya."

"That all you want? No problem, I was on my way outta this shit-hole before you stopped me anyway."

Ichigo could tell that his refusal to rise to the challenge confused the other, but Shirosaki relented, stepping back to allow him passage. He expected some snide comment about him being a pussy as he jogged past the white form, but to his surprise the albino only stated a simple "See ya at school tomorrow Strawberry."

_'Why do I always feel so strange when he calls me that?'_

* * *

The wind rustles through the streets of a safe, simple Karakura suburb, lightly blowing the curtains around the bed of the restlessly sleeping Ichigo. No matter which way his unconscious body twists, his subconscious will not rest.

"_Run Ichigo!" The woman, the blood, the deceptive stranger, the running, crossing the bridge … _

… _An embrace on the other side. Another voice, young, his age perhaps, familiar and different at the same time, "Hey, you okay?" _

_He only cries in response, clinging to the person now holding him, trying to will the bloody image out of his mind. The grip around him tightens and the voice softens, "Shh, it's alrigh' Strawberry, I got ya now n' I won' let anythin' happen to ya." _

_He remembers the man and cries harder, finally speaking in rushed sentences, "Please, he's after me! He killed mom and dad and he's after me!"_

_The boy holding him went impossibly still, if it hadn't been for the breath across his ear, Ichigo might have thought he was imagining his savior._

_A hand pet his hair, and the other boy spoke again,"I won' let 'im have ya. Don't worry Ichi I'll protect you, yer safe now."_

"_Safe?"_

"_Forever." _

The sun peaks over the horizon, the soft glow of the light spills past the same open curtains, illuminating a now peacefully sleeping Ichigo.

_He finally looked up at the one holding him, from the pure white skin, to the silvery hair, and those beautiful golden eyes._


	2. Chapter 2

_Infractus Somnium 2_

***So Shirosaki's POV is always way too tempting for me to pass up, and of course, this little story is no exception. To those of you who read Ladies and Gentlemen and are on my spoilers list- I am working on Chapter 24. I want to have a little more of it finished before I send out the spoiler (I am at a fork in the story, so the spoiler will come when I decide which route to take).

**Thank you for the reviews on part one of Infractus Somnium- After part two, if I find that enough people wish to see this idea expanded, I will consider extending the 'story.' Though if I do, the rating will be upped to M (if you've read my other stuff you know I can't pass up the smut).

*Lastly, Bleach belongs to Kubo, _Whispers in the Dark _to Skillet, and I do not profit from either.

_Infractus Somnium 2_

Alone on a shadowed bench, in the middle of a small deserted city, a pale teen rests. The lights in this area having long since given up, the only visual indication that he is even there is courtesy of the bright, full moon reflecting off of ghostly white skin, and untamed silvery spikes. A car alarm sounds off in the distance and one golden eye cracks open at the obnoxious interruption of his thoughts. _'Probably from Hueco Mundo.'_ He turns up the volume on his MP3 player, drowning out the noise and returns his thoughts to his orange headed 'ward.'

"_Despite the lies that you're making,_

_Your love is mine for the taking,_

_My love is, just waiting_

_To turn your tears to roses..."_

He remembers watching him from afar when they were younger, even before taking responsibility for him. Back then, Ichigo had been the only child who hadn't either cowered in fear, or tried to bully him for his appearance. He was a happy kid, even if a bit of a crybaby at times, and he treated everyone like a friend. Shiro remembered being jealous of the other kids when Ichigo paid attention to them, and even Ichigo's mother, who brought the brightest smile to her son's face whenever she was near. Shiro hadn't seen that smile in over eleven years, not since the last time Ichigo's mother picked him up from school.

"_...Despite the lies that you're making,_

_Your love is mine for the taking,_

_My love is, just waiting_

_To turn your tears to roses..."_

He'd left his house that night, his parents screaming and throwing things at each other enough to drive him mad. He needed to get out before they got really violent and turned their abusive attention on him. Luckily, they had been so self involved that they never missed their 7 year old son, or the gun he slipped out of his dad's dresser.

"_...I will be the one that's gonna hold you,_

_I will be the one that you run to,_

_My love is a burning, consuming fire..."_

He was walking in the moonlit night, no particular destination in mind when he came to the bridge that would be forever etched into his mind. The feeling of Ichigo running to him, tear stained face seeking salvation in Shiro's shirt collar, was bittersweet. He was torn from feeling ecstatic that Ichigo needed _him_ and anger that someone actually put the orange head in that state. However when Ichigo revealed in pure terror that he had just seen his parents murdered, and that the man was after him too, his anger turned to rage, overriding all other emotion. '_No one would touch him_, _ever!'_

"_...No! You'll never be alone,_

_When darkness comes _

_I'll light the night with stars,_

_Hear the whispers in the dark..."_

He remembers the last words spoken between them before Ichigo slipped into unconsciousness, an oath that would never be broken,_"I won' let 'im have ya. Don't worry Ichi I'll protect you, yer safe now."_

"_Safe?" _He sounded so lost, broken. Shiro had for the moment, pushed the rage aside so his Strawberry would know that he would never be alone.

"_Forever."_

"_...No! You'll never be alone,_

_When darkness comes _

_You know I'm never far,_

_Hear the whispers in the dark..."_

As Ichigo went limp in his arms, he looked up to see a man standing on the other side of the bridge, heavy breathing suggesting that this was the man who'd been chasing the orange head. His chestnut hair was plastered to his face with sweat, dark eyes alight with fake amusement. He composed himself quickly, brushing his hands down his long trench coat and turning a sickeningly fake smile in Shiro's direction. _"Ah, I see you found my son. Sorry about the confusion, he gets scared easily." _

The man took a step forward and Shiro snorted in disgust, carrying Ichigo back with him a step. _"He's not yours."_

"_...Whispers in the dark..."_

His lowly spoken words must of hit some nerve, because the man snapped, reaching for his gun and yelling his fury, _"None of you understand! I loved her and that boy should have been mine!"_

Shiro spoke again, voice just above a whisper and looking down at the boy in his arms, almost as if he was afraid of waking him, _"None of that matters anymore." _

Confused by the words and the eerie tone of the voice, the man froze, words coming out quietly, _"And why wouldn't that matter?"_

Shiro gently set Ichigo down, closing the boy's coat, before stepping over him and locking a deadly glare on the man threatening to take his Strawberry away, _"Because he's mine now."_

"_...You feel so lonely and ragged,_

_You lay here broken and naked,_

_My love is just waiting,_

_To clothe you in crimson roses..."_

Shiro barely remembers raising his own weapon or pulling the trigger, but the satisfaction he felt when the man went down and knowing that he had protected Ichigo, is something that time will never erase.

"_...I will be the one that's gonna find you,_

_I will be the one that's gonna guide you,_

_My love is a burning, consuming fire..."_

After checking the body to ensure the man's death, he piggybacked Ichigo to the clinic down the street. Setting the orange head down, he rang the bell and ran, hiding in the neighbors bushes to make sure Mr. Urahara was in. When the door was answered and Ichigo taken inside by the confused doctor, Shiro darted home, wiped off the gun, put it back where he found it, and crawled into bed, completely unnoticed by his still fuming parents.

"_...No! You'll never be alone,_

_When darkness comes _

_I'll light the night with stars,_

_Hear the whispers in the dark..."_

Who'd have thought that the dead man would have been robbed and tossed under the bridge? Or that some of the DNA left on the body would be his and mistaken for his thieving, abusive, bastard of a father? The murder weapon being found in his dresser with a bullet missing didn't help his old man out much either. When his mother got violent in defense of her husband, threatening the officers and throwing random objects at them, she was taken in too, and Shiro, moved to foster care, placed under the supervision of a one, Urahara Kisuke.

"_...No! You'll never be alone,_

_When darkness comes_

_You know I'm never far,_

_Hear the whispers in the dark..."_

When Ichigo finally woke up a couple days later, Shiro didn't know whether to laugh or cry when he found out the boy didn't remember anything. He knew better than to pester Ichigo with the facts of his life though. He was frustrated enough without having someone he didn't know tell him about himself. Too bad the kids at school didn't think the same. They would ask him daily if he remembered any of them, telling him about the things they did together in the past, always expecting something from him. Eventually he started ignoring them, scowling anytime someone tried to speak to him. This led to the teasing, which led to the fighting, and anytime Shiro tried to come to his defense, Ichigo would push the pale boy away, saying to mind his own business. _'Damn it! YOU are MY business!'_

"_...No! You'll never be alone,_

_When darkness comes_

_I'll light the night with stars,_

_Hear the whispers in the dark..."_

Too bad for Ichigo, Shiro had no intention of letting him be. He'd protect him from anything and anyone, even Ichigo himself. The method just had to change, that's all. So, he became the main antagonist, drawing everyone's attention to himself. He also, often picked fights with Ichigo, and the two quickly became known as mortal enemies. But anytime someone other than himself fought Ichigo, he'd take them on shortly after or even sometimes during the fight, saying that Ichigo was only his to beat the shit out of, and that everyone else can take a fuckin' hike. One doesn't need an excuse to stay close to their 'enemies.'

"_...No! You'll never be alone,_

_When darkness comes_

_You know I'm never far,_

_Hear the whispers in the dark..."_

_'You can lie to yourself all you want Ichigo, but that won't change the fact that you ran to me that dark night, or that I promised to protect you forever.'_

"_...Whispers in the dark,_

_Whispers in the dark,_

_Whispers in the dark."_

As the song died down, the benched figure was pulled out of memory lane by the sound of someone running, the feet hitting pavement, echoing off the old buildings. Curiosity getting the better of him, he opens his eyes, sitting up and glancing in the direction of the sound, pulling out the ear-buds of his MP3. His eye twitches when he spots the orange head of his inner musings across the street, sprinting like the devil himself were after him, _'What in God's name is he doing way the fuck out here?'_

Shiro jumped up from the bench, ready to chase Ichigo into Hueco Mundo, when thankfully, the carrot top slowed to a stop at the next intersection, looking around like a lost kid. Throwing the hood to his sweater up, Shiro walked across the street approaching the other teen in the dark. _'Perhaps scaring him a little will make him pay attention to where the fuck he's going.'_

Shiro stepped under a flickering streetlight a couple meters behind Ichigo just as the other turned around, leveling shocked brown eyes on him. The orange headed male's eyes shift around quickly, probably determining that the 'stranger' in front of him is alone, _'At least he got that right.'_

"What's a little Strawberry like yerself doin' in this part'a town?" Said Strawberry falls into a fighting stance but the tension in his body leaks out as the recognizes the other's voice.

"I could ask you the same thing Snowflake. It's pretty late, did you conveniently forget again that we have school tomorrow?" The albino laughed at the nickname, it really never failed to amuse him. Although admittedly, if it ever came from anyone other than Ichigo, he wouldn't hesitate to beat the shit out of them.

Taking a step forward, Shiro removes the hood of his sweater, intent on riling Ichigo up so they'd fight and he'd hopefully stay out of this area from now on. "Why Kurosaki, I never woulda thought such a stuck up pretty boy would be worried 'bout the attendance record of a good fer nothin' delinquent. Ya miss me that much?"

Surprisingly indifferent to my taunt, he answers with a shrug "Well, class is pretty quiet without you there, teacher not yelling and all."

The white male smirks, incredibly pleased that the other missed his presence, but not allowing the change in subject. "Now that we've established how hopelessly bored ya are without me, answer my question, what are ya doin' out here?"

"Out for a run, ended up out here. That a problem?" _'Yes, it is.'_

Shiro's smirk grows impossibly larger, "Only if I gotta beat yer ass to get ya ta stay out. Then I imagine it'd be somethin' of a problem for ya."

"That all you want? No problem, I was on my way outta this shit-hole before you stopped me anyway."

Pleased, despite being somewhat confused at Ichigo's cooperativeness, Shiro backed up and allowed the other to jog by, slightly disappointed that he wouldn't get the chance to touch his charge, "See ya at school tomorrow Strawberry." _'You won't have to miss me anymore...'_

Walking at a leisurely pace, Shiro hits play on his MP3 again and follows Ichigo's path. At least with Kisuke out of town, he doesn't have to worry about them getting into trouble for being out this late.


End file.
